Peter Schorsch, Author at Florida Politics - Campaigns & Elections. Lobbying & Government.

Peter SchorschMarch 7, 2016

The conclusion of the 2016 Legislative Session will happen sometime this week. Florida’s presidential preference primary is in seven days. With those twin events, it would be easy to overlook the many developments shaping up in Tampa Bay politics. To catch you up on some of the developments taking place in local elections, here’s where sh*t […]

Peter SchorschMarch 7, 2016

Multiple outlets reported over the weekend that budget conferees effectively killed a line item to “refresh” the state’s inventory of law enforcement radios furnished by the Brevard County vendor Harris Corp. The issue has been the subject of what Senate budget chief Tom Lee called a “vendor fist fight” between Harris – which holds a lucrative 20-year state […]

Peter SchorschMarch 7, 2016

A proposal to overhaul archaic state regulations on Florida-based cosmetics manufacturers has gained steam from two major industry endorsements as Session winds down, though the time for the bills to move is growing shorter. The bills – HB 261 by Rep. Chris Latvala and SB 176 by Sen. Jeff Brandes — would reform a regulatory cosmetics regime manufacturers have called “unnecessary and burdensome” by cutting down […]

Peter SchorschMarch 7, 2016

Sunburn — The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster, Mitch Perry, Ryan Ray, and Jim Rosica. — REST IN PEACE NANCY REAGAN — FORMER FIRST LADY DIES AT 94 IN CALIFORNIA via The Associated Press — [The] helpmate, backstage adviser and fierce protector of Ronald Reagan in his journey from actor to […]

Peter SchorschMarch 7, 2016

Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine is taking to the airwaves with a new political talk radio show premiering Tuesday on SiriusXM Insight. Levine is widely speculated to be considering a run for Florida governor in 2018. “The Mayor” will feature bipartisan, roundtable discussions and one-on-one interviews with elected officials on the most important issues facing […]

Peter SchorschMarch 6, 2016

Friday’s failure to move the Seminole Compact was a microcosm of the next-to-last-week blues afflicting the Florida Legislature. Plus things are also getting a little weird, like when Senate President Andy Gardiner seemed to suggest that legislative inaction is a kind of action. The inaction was in the case of Gov. Rick Scott‘s state surgeon general and Health Secretary […]

Peter SchorschMarch 5, 2016

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The Florida Senate approved a bill Friday that would reform civil forfeiture and reduce wrongful seizures of personal property. Under current law officers can seize a person’s property if they suspect it was gained as a result of or might be used in criminal activity. The owner of seized property does not currently have to […]

Peter SchorschMarch 4, 2016

As the Legislature’s “big chairs” meet this weekend to try to take the 2016-17 state budget in for a landing, there are few issues more pressing and in the public eye than fixing Florida’s ailing Department of Corrections and prison system in general. The department has gained a reputation for cutting corners in a way that […]

Peter SchorschMarch 4, 2016

Sunburn – The morning read of what’s hot in Florida politics. By Peter Schorsch, Phil Ammann, Jenna Buzzacco-Foerster, Mitch Perry, Ryan Ray, and Jim Rosica PROGRAMMING NOTE — I’ll be the featured speaker today at the Capital Tiger Bay Club meeting. The event begins at 11:30 and takes places at the Donald L. Tucker Civic Center. THE […]

Peter SchorschMarch 3, 2016

It’s hard to criticize Florida’s safety net hospitals. They are the last-resort centers that provide medical care to uninsured or under-insured people. Who could argue against doing everything possible for such a deserving cause, right? But with those hospitals screaming about a proposed state funding formula, maybe we should all take a moment to catch our breath and […]

Peter Schorsch
Listen to Tom Leek's first radio ad.

Here’s where sh*t stands in Tampa Bay – The “Don’t forget about them” edition

Funds for police radios nixed in budget conference? Not so fast

Cosmetics legislation moving forward as Session winds down

Sunburn for March 7 – RIP Nancy Reagan; Marco’s not-so-super Saturday; Budget coming in for a close

2018 watch: Miami Beach Mayor Philip Levine to host radio show on SiriusXM

Takeaways from Tallahassee – Sine Die on the brain

Civil forfeiture bill passes Senate, heads to House floor

Don’t cut corners on Dept. of Corrections health funding

Sunburn for March 4 – Happy “House of Cards” Day!

Why are Safety Net Hospitals crying foul over $134 million in new funding?